Idea For DIY Auto Top-Off…To Simple To Work? – 09/29/07
Thank you for answering yet another question, it's very much appreciated!
<<We’re glad to help>>
I need an auto top-off for my 65g reef tank. I can't afford a Tunze, and the cheaper ones all seem to fail sooner or later.
<<Mmm, pity about the Tunze Osmolator…this is a primo bit of gear…well worth saving up for>>
I got an idea from my dog's water bowl.
<<Okay>>
My Beagle's water dish has a 2-liter bottle that suspends upside down over the dish, with a tube that runs from the bottle cap to about 2-inches into the bowl, and automatically refills the bowl as the water level drops.
<<Ah yes…am familiar with…>>
My Christmas Tree stand has the same feature, they have worked well. I'd like to take a 5g rigid airtight container (have one already) with a tight fitting cap, drill a hole in the cap, insert and silicone a ¼-inch tube. I'd fill the container with water and place it on it's side over my sump. I'd cut the tube to the length (slightly longer than) I'd need to maintain my desired water level in the sump. Air pressure would keep the water in the container until the water level dropped low enough for the tube to take up air, therefore exchanging water for air inside the container. Once the tube end was covered with water, no more air could enter the tube, therefore stopping the exchange. (I'm sure I did not need to explain how air pressure works to you, but others reading might gleam new information from my explanation).
<<Indeed so…and thank you for this>>
This idea seems almost too simple, because wouldn't it have already been done if it is possible?
<<Hmm, I seem to recall some past commercial adventures re…wasn’t “The Nurse” such a device? I’ve also seen such devices outlined as DIY projects on the NET. But yes, as you say, it does seem “simple enough”… And perhaps that is the problem…considering how we hobbyists do like our “complex” gadgetry [grin]>>
What am I overlooking?
<<Maybe nothing… Perhaps water turbulence (as opposed to a “static” dog dish) causes the reservoir to empty itself…or maybe the tubing has to be inserted too deeply causing too much of a Salinity change before replenishment…or maybe the device will work like a charm! But you won’t know until you give this device a try. It is a “simple” and cheap enough experiment, afterall>>
Thank you in advance,
Dakota
<<Happy to share. Eric Russell>>
I think I'm going to try this method just to see what happens. I'm going to go ahead and mod the container with the tube, fill it with water, and perhaps a few drops of food color. I'll place it on it's side next to my kitchen sink (filled half-way with clean water) with the tube of the container submerged in the sink. After a few hours, I'll check back to make sure that A) the water level in the container is still the same, and B) that the color of the water in the sink has not changed significantly. I'll then remove enough water from the sink to cause the container to drain and refill the sink (hopefully to the proper level), I'll do this several times to check for consistency of operation.</em>
To better simulate sump conditions, I'll run a powerhead in the sink as well, and let it stay for 24 hours (or until someone yells What the he[[ is this? Get this s**** out of my way so I can do the dishes!!!). At the end of that period I'll check the color of the remaining water in the container to make sure it wasn't diluted by exchange from sink water (I don't foresee this being an issue).</em>
This could be a great method for those of us with smaller systems that's tired of refilling a gallon a day or less. This would be excellent also for reefers with HOB skimmers, as a consistant water level is needed for proper skimming.</em>
Thanks for reading..
Thank you for answering yet another question, it's very much appreciated!
<<We’re glad to help>>
I need an auto top-off for my 65g reef tank. I can't afford a Tunze, and the cheaper ones all seem to fail sooner or later.
<<Mmm, pity about the Tunze Osmolator…this is a primo bit of gear…well worth saving up for>>
I got an idea from my dog's water bowl.
<<Okay>>
My Beagle's water dish has a 2-liter bottle that suspends upside down over the dish, with a tube that runs from the bottle cap to about 2-inches into the bowl, and automatically refills the bowl as the water level drops.
<<Ah yes…am familiar with…>>
My Christmas Tree stand has the same feature, they have worked well. I'd like to take a 5g rigid airtight container (have one already) with a tight fitting cap, drill a hole in the cap, insert and silicone a ¼-inch tube. I'd fill the container with water and place it on it's side over my sump. I'd cut the tube to the length (slightly longer than) I'd need to maintain my desired water level in the sump. Air pressure would keep the water in the container until the water level dropped low enough for the tube to take up air, therefore exchanging water for air inside the container. Once the tube end was covered with water, no more air could enter the tube, therefore stopping the exchange. (I'm sure I did not need to explain how air pressure works to you, but others reading might gleam new information from my explanation).
<<Indeed so…and thank you for this>>
This idea seems almost too simple, because wouldn't it have already been done if it is possible?
<<Hmm, I seem to recall some past commercial adventures re…wasn’t “The Nurse” such a device? I’ve also seen such devices outlined as DIY projects on the NET. But yes, as you say, it does seem “simple enough”… And perhaps that is the problem…considering how we hobbyists do like our “complex” gadgetry [grin]>>
What am I overlooking?
<<Maybe nothing… Perhaps water turbulence (as opposed to a “static” dog dish) causes the reservoir to empty itself…or maybe the tubing has to be inserted too deeply causing too much of a Salinity change before replenishment…or maybe the device will work like a charm! But you won’t know until you give this device a try. It is a “simple” and cheap enough experiment, afterall>>
Thank you in advance,
Dakota
<<Happy to share. Eric Russell>>
I think I'm going to try this method just to see what happens. I'm going to go ahead and mod the container with the tube, fill it with water, and perhaps a few drops of food color. I'll place it on it's side next to my kitchen sink (filled half-way with clean water) with the tube of the container submerged in the sink. After a few hours, I'll check back to make sure that A) the water level in the container is still the same, and B) that the color of the water in the sink has not changed significantly. I'll then remove enough water from the sink to cause the container to drain and refill the sink (hopefully to the proper level), I'll do this several times to check for consistency of operation.</em>
To better simulate sump conditions, I'll run a powerhead in the sink as well, and let it stay for 24 hours (or until someone yells What the he[[ is this? Get this s**** out of my way so I can do the dishes!!!). At the end of that period I'll check the color of the remaining water in the container to make sure it wasn't diluted by exchange from sink water (I don't foresee this being an issue).</em>
This could be a great method for those of us with smaller systems that's tired of refilling a gallon a day or less. This would be excellent also for reefers with HOB skimmers, as a consistant water level is needed for proper skimming.</em>
Thanks for reading..
